Geordie Kinnear enters his 11th season as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League (AHL) and his seventh full season working for the Carolina Hurricanes organization. He spent the 2006-07 season serving as a part-time assistant and special consultant for the Albany River Rats during their first year as the Hurricanes top minor-league affiliate.

Kinnear began his coaching career when he joined the Albany coaching staff in August 2001, after an eight-year professional career. He worked for the New Jersey Devils organization from 2001-2006, serving as Albany’s assistant coach for four seasons and working as a special assignment scout with the Devils during the 2004-05 campaign.

After playing three seasons of junior hockey for the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, Kinnear was drafted by New Jersey in the seventh round (162nd overall) of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. An original River Rat, he skated with Albany for the first six years of his eight-year professional career (1993-94 to 1998-99), helping them reach the playoffs every year. Over that time, he was a member of the River Rats’ 1995 Calder Cup championship team, was selected to four consecutive AHL All-Star Classics (1995-1999) and served as Albany’s captain for three seasons (1996-1999).

In August of 1999 Kinnear signed with the Atlanta Thrashers as a free agent, making his National Hockey League debut by appearing in four games with Atlanta. He split the 1999-2000 season between Atlanta and the Thrashers’ IHL affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears. After starting the 2000-01 season with Orlando, he was traded back to New Jersey on November 6, 2000, and played 14 games with Albany before being forced to retire due to injury in December 2000.